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Archie Manning joins son Peyton in pitching Papa John's pizza

By The Associated Press

Posted:
01/19/2013 12:01:00 AM MST

Updated:
01/19/2013 12:07:21 AM MST

Former NFL player Archie Manning stands on the sidelines before the Florida Gators play the Louisville Cardinals in their 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl NCAA football game in New Orleans, Louisiana January 2, 2013. Manning is the father of NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. (Jonathan Bachman)

Peyton Manning figured one good Papa deserved another. His father, Archie, is joining the Broncos quarterback as a Papa John's pizza pitchman, spearheading the chain's coin-flip promotion at the Super Bowl in their hometown of New Orleans.

While he was sitting out last season with his neck injury, Peyton Manning starred in a Papa John's Super Bowl commercial with Jerome Bettis. Manning was dressed up as a referee. "Hey, a man's gotta work, OK?" he told Bettis.

After signing with the Broncos, Manning invested in 21 of the company's pizza stores in the Denver area. More recently, Papa John's approached Archie Manning about being a spokesman for the Super Bowl promotion. Starting Sunday, fans can go online and choose heads or tails for the opening coin toss. The winners will get free pizza.

Peyton Manning calls a play from the line of scrimmage in the third quarter as the Denver Broncos took on the New Orleans Saints at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on October 28, 2012. John Leyba, The Denver Post (The Denver Post | John Leyba)

"Only thing that would be better is if the Broncos were playing in the game," Archie Manning said. "Or the Giants. Or both. But it's going to be good stuff." The Associated Press